Lost on public transport: dead bats and coffin

A 14ft inflatable boat, a coffin, false limbs and a lawn mower are just some of the items left on public transport, it was revealed yesterday. Breast implants, a jar of bull's sperm and three dead bats in a container, have also turned up at Transport for London's lost property office at Baker Street in London.

In the last year almost 150,000 items have been left on tubes, buses and taxis, with mobile phones and books among the most-mislaid articles.

While property lost on public transport included two human skulls in a bag, a divan bed and three second world war gas masks, more common articles are bags, umbrellas, wallets, passports, teddy bears and wedding rings.

Recently, Rolex watches worth £25,000 were found on a bus and have since been claimed.

The Baker Street office also took possession of a £2,000 plasma television which had been left in the back of a taxi.

Other strange items handed in include a home vasectomy kit and an urn of ashes.

The Baker Street premises keeps some items on display, including six African masks, a variety of sex toys and two human skulls.

Property not claimed after three months is sold at auction, with proceeds going towards running costs of the lost property office.

One in two items of value are successfully returned to owners while the return rate for other items is one in three for bags, one in four for mobile phones and one in five for books.